Inhaler.



Pate nted Nov. l4, I899.

L. M. FRANCIS.

INHALEB.

(Application filed Feb. 9, 1899.) (N o M o d 6 l INVENTOH e I A TTORNEYS,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOVELAND MERLE FRANCIS, OF PHOENIX, ARIZONA TERRITORY.

INHALER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,786, dated November 899.

Application filed February 9, 1899. Serial No. 705 ,025. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOVELAND MERLE FRANCIS, of Phoenix, in the county of Maricopa and Territory of Arizona, have invented a new and Improved Inhaler, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a superior device for holding medicinal preparations to the nostrils of persons, whereby to treat the patient by inhalation.

The invention is also applicable to respirators or devices for protecting persons from poisonous gases by placing over the nostrils a means for purifying the atmosphere before it is inhaled.

This specification is the disclosure of one form of my invention, while the claims define the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken horizontally through the same, and Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation of the same.

The body a of the inhaler is cylindrical in form and has a frustoeconical shield b fitted rigidly in the front thereof, against which the front of the saturated sponge c bears. The front end of the body A is provided with a removable cap (1, having a foraminated front e.

The rear end of the body a contains a frusto-conical shield f, which is extended into the body and carries a sieve 9, against which the rear of the sponge c bears, the sponge being adapted to project laterally beyond the inner ends of the shields b and f, whereby to hold the sponge in place. The sponge may be introduced by removing the cap d and passing and compressing the sponge through the shield b. This construction serves to carry the surplus liquid from the sponge and prevent the same from spilling out of the inhaler,v such surplus liquid lying inside of the shields b and f and directly against the inner walls of the body a.

Attached by clips 11 to the rear portion of the shield f is a flexible apron h, formed of thin sheet-rubber or analogous material and adapted to lie against the face of the patient and to inclose the patients noise, thus caus ing the air to be inhaled through the sponge c, and so that the patient may derive the full benefits of the medicine with which the sponge is saturated. The apron h has a number of openings m therein, such openings extending through the shield f and covered by flapvalves a, formed, preferably, of rubber. The valves n open outwardly to permit the breath exhaled by the patient to pass directly out of the inhaler and avoid sending this breath into the sponge. For the purpose of strengthening the apron and for causing it to set properly on the nose of the patient I provide a wire annulus 0, attached to the shield f and encircling the apron h. The instrument is ,held in place by means of an elastic strap is,

which is passed around the head of the person using the device and engaged with the body a through the medium of hooks or clips I.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An inhaler having a cylindrical body portion, and tapering shields respectively carried in the ends thereof and having their small ends projected into the body portion, whereby to hold a sponge between them and to form a space for the reception of liquid.

2. An inhaler, having a body portion, and tapering shields fitted respectively in the ends thereof and having their small ends extending into the body portion, the shields serving to retain a sponge between their small ends, and forming a space for the reception of a liquid between the shields and the body portion.

3. An inhaler, having a body portion, a tapering shield fitted in each end thereof, the inner ends of the shields being located within the body portion, a cap having a sieve, the cap being fitted over the outer end of the body portion, and an apron secured to the shield at the inner end of the body portion and adapted to engage the face of the person using the inhaler.

LOVELAND MERLE FRANCIS.

Witnesses:

ELIsE VVHEATONJONES, FREDERICK S. N AVE. 

